Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

I had fallen back into my same ol', same ol' dinners again when I saw this recipe and thought it would be a good one to try out.  I made it tonight for dinner and it was deeeeelicious!! I will definitely make it again.  The meatballs have a nice light texture with a fresh taste.  Give it a try!

source:  www.foodnetwork.com

courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredient:

1 pound orecchiette pasta (I couldn't find that so I used mini bow tie pasta)

1/4 c plain bread crumbs (I used italian because that is what I had)

1/4 c chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tbsp whole milk

1 tbsp ketchup

3/4 c grated romano

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

1 lb ground chicken

1/4 c olive oil

1 1/2 c chicken stock

4 c cherry tomatoes ( I used 1 qrt of canned tomatoes from my garden)

1/2 c grated parmesan freshly grated

8 ounces bocconcini mozzarella balls

1/2 c chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 min.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, romano cheese, and the salt and pepper.  Add the chicken and gently stir to combine.

Using a melon baller, form the chicken mixture into 3/4 inch pieces.  With damp hands, roll the chicken into mini meatballs.

In a large skillet,  heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook without moving until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes.  Turn the meatballs over and brown the other side, about 2 minutes longer.

(I did a few this way, but since I doubled the batch, I cooked the majority on a cookie sheet in the oven, that worked great and they were very tender)

Add the chicken stock and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil.  Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan.

Reduce heat to low and simmer until tomatoes are soft and meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Drain pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.  Transfer to a large serving bowl and add the parmesan.  Toss to lightly coat the pasta, adding reserved water if needed.  

Add the meatball mixture,  mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup of basil.  Gently toss to combine.  Garnish with the chopped basil.

Sun Dried Tomato Spinach Puffs

Posted by Lisa

Source:  First magazine October 2012

My mom made dinner for the family tonight and had this recipe she wanted to try out.  I actually put it together for her, but she had it picked out to go with the baked pork chops and sweet potato wedges.  It was a really good dinner!

(next time I would greatly reduce the sun dried tomatoes..very strong flavor.  I would probably add a bit more cheese and maybe a bit of garlic or bacon for more flavor)

Ingredients:

1 cup packed spinach, chopped
1/4 cup minced scallions
1 pkg. 8 oz refrigerated crescent dough
1/4 c diced sun dried tomatoes
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350.  In greased skillet over medium heat, cook spinach and scallions 1 min.  Let cool.

On work surface, unroll dough;  spread with spinach mixture.  Top with tomatoes and cheese.

Roll dough into log.

Cut into 10 to 12 equal pieces(we did 10 and put them into regular sized muffin tins)

Place slices into greased wells of muffin pan.  Cover loosely with foil.  Bake 20 min or until

done.  Remove foil after 10 minutes.  (we didn't use any foil)

Posted by Lisa
source busy for women first magazine Oct 2012

Pork Loin with Leeks

Submitted by Lisa Serves 6

2 pound boned pork loin 
salt & pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine ( I used chicken stock)
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped 
(I used cherry tomatoes because I had them)

2 pounds leeks
1 tablespoons chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 350º F. Cut pork into 6 thick steaks, sprinkle with salt & pepper. 

Brown thoroughly in a casserole with olive oil and garlic, about 4 to 5 minutes each side. 

Add wine and tomatoes; 

cover and simmer 

15 minutes. 

Clean leeks, split, and slice. 

Remove pork from casserole, add leeks, cover and cook gently 5 minutes. 

Put pork on top of leeks, cover and cook in oven 40 to 50 minutes, until pork is tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Pork & Pesto stuffed Ravioli

Submitted by Lisa

I have had a bag of dehydrated ancho chili peppers in my cupboard for a couple of months!  I wanted to do something creative with them and was having  no luck finding a recipe that looked good.  While searching for recipes, I found several that had things I liked so this recipe below is a compilation of those that I found.  I am the kind of cook who takes a little from here and a little from there and uses what I have in the house to create.  Usually I find a recipe and end up substituting most of the ingredients with what I actually have instead of what it calls for.  You end up with some interesting foods!  It is fun though and helps you get more creative on your own.  The ancho chili's add a nice little pop of heat with out ruining your taste buds and sending you running for the jug of milk. I hope you like this!

tip:  keep some egg roll wrappers on hand in the fridge for those creative moments.
Ingredients:

1 cooked and shredded pork loin ( you could use cooked chicken or turkey also)
1 medium onion
12 to 15 basil leaves
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
4 cloves garlic OR 1 1/2 tbsp Garlic Garlic from tastefully simple
2 cups grape tomatoes  (or chopped up larger tomato)
1 can chicken stock
2 tsp sugar
1 pkg round wonton wrappers
1/2 cup cream cheese (1/2 a brick)
2 dehydrated ancho chili peppers (re-hydrate in hot water before use)

Directions:

1.  Cook the pork loin in crock pot until it shreds easily.  I put a little soy sauce in with it and pepper.
2.  Once shredded, use about 2/3 of it and keep the rest for a sandwich.
3.  In a small food processor, mince 1/2 of the onion, 3 of the cloves of garlic or 1 tbsp of the Garlic Garlic,            the basil leaves and 2 tbsp of the chicken stock.  Blend until finely ground.
4.  Take this mixture and stir into the shredded meat.  Place small amount in center of wonton wrapper.

Wet the edges with water and place another wrapper on top, sealing carefully to remove all air.  Set aside on a dry plate or peace of parchment paper.  Make sure not to let the finished ravioli's touch each other...they will stick together.

5.  Once all the ravioli's are made, you can store them in the fridge in single layers in between parchment or continue on with the sauce steps.

Sauce:
1.  Chop the rest of the onion and add another clove of garlic pressed, or 1/2 tsbp of the garlic garlic, and chopped up ancho chille peppers.  Place in pan with olive oil and cook until slightly softened.

2.  Add remaining chicken stock, sugar and tomatoes.  Cook covered until tomatoes start to burst.  Once that happens, smash them with a potato masher and add the rest of the cream cheese.  Stir until mixed in. Now add in the ravioli's and cook until they are tender and coated with the sauce.

3.  Garnish with additional basil and parmesan cheese.

Taboule Salad

Submitted by: Lisa

Ok. If someone came up to you and asked if you wanted to try some Taboule salad, what would you say? I said "Well, what is it?"... the answer : "Wheat Bulgur". Me: "ick. "

Seriously, does that sound appetizing at all? No, not really. Well, because of the peer pressure of my co-workers and the fact that I liked the lady who brought it, I broke down and tried it.

Yum. The key is to never utter the word "Bulgur" when talking about food you want people to taste. : )

Now, this takes like 1/2 hr to make. The wheat bulgur has to soak up the water for 30 min, then you add in the rest of the ingredients and you are done! Great for a pot luck or a nice light healthy lunch.

Ingredients:

1 box of Taboule mix wheat salad by Near East (I found it by the boxed rice mixes)

1 cucumber chopped and seeded

1 tomato diced

1 container crumbled Feta cheese

olive oil about 3 tbsp

lemon juice 2 tbsp

basil 1/4 cup chopped

Follow the box directions for making the Taboule then mix in the rest!

Artichoke & Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breast

Ok. I watched Guy Fieri (from food network: Guys Big Bite) make this dish...Oh man did it look delicious! The picture on the right here is MY interpretation of that dish. I made a few changes because of convienence and available ingredients. It was awesome, if I do say so myself.

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 c chopped onion

3/4 c chopped marinated artichoke hearts

1/2 c chopped marinated sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper (fresh cracked)

2 tbsp minced garlic (if you don't have garlic, use something like Garlic Garlic from tastefully simple)

1/2 c white wine (I used chicken stock)
3 tbsp butter

1/4 c grated parmesan
1/2 tbsp finely chopped parsely leaves (I used dried)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast (I used shredded chicken that I already had cooked)

On the original recipe it has you pound the chicken breasts flat so you can roll the above stuffing into it and cook it in a pan. I did not do that. I had some cooked shredded chicken in the fridge so I used that.

1: Over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of the oil. When hot, saute the onions until translucent. Stir in the artichokes and tomatoes. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, then add the salt, pepper, garlic.

2: Deglaze. Now the recipe calls for wine. I don't drink that, so I have none in the house. I used chicken stock which I made from the chicken paste I keep in the fridge for such occasions.

3: Stir in the butter, when melted, add the parmesan and parsley.

4: Now at this point you would roll this into the pounded chicken breasts. BUT if you are following my way, you would simply toss in the desired amount of shredded, already cooked chicken.

**directions for rolling up the chicken: Rinse, trim and pound out chicken breasts to about 1/4-inch thick. Do not over-pound as holes in the chicken will make it difficult for the chicken to retain the stuffing.

Put 1/4 of the stuffing mixture at 1 end of a chicken breast. Gently roll the chicken breast folding the ends in to help keep the stuffingfrom coming out during the cooking process. Secure the chicken roll with 2 toothpicks. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts and stuffing.

Heat the 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil in a medium saute pan over high heat. Add the chicken breasts, with the secured side of the chicken first, to insure the roll with stay together. Brown the chicken on all sides, add remaining butter, and deglaze with remaining white wine.

***Important. This dish was intended to go along with another recipe from his show:

Paccheri Pasta with Cauliflower and Spinach

What I did, was set aside what I had just made, kept it covered and warm and made this other recipe too. I then mixed it all together into one dish.

1 tbsp salt

1 head cauliflower, cut into flowerets

2 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tbsp olive oil for drizzling

3 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 c chicken stock
1 bunch of fresh spinach (about 3 cups)

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes (I used 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes)

3 tbsp capers (I didn't use any)
1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1 pound paccheri pasta (large tube) @ 2.5 inches x 2 inches. ( I used a smaller tube)
1/2 c grated pecorino Romano (I used parmesan)

1/4 c chopped italian parsley (I used dry)

1: Bring large pot of water to boil, then add salt, and cauliflower. Cook for @ 4 min.

2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in large saute pan, saute the garlic, red pepper flakes for 1 min.

3: Remove cauliflower from water with slotted spoon and add to the garlic/red pepper mixture.

4: Saute Breifly until starting to brown, About 3 to 4 min.

5: Deglaze the pan with chicken stock, add the spinach, cover and let it wilt for 2 min..

6: Stir in the tomatoes and reduce heat and let it simmer for 5 min.

7: Bring the cauliflower water back to a boil, and cook the pasta. JUST till aldente.

8: Remove the pasta from the water, add it to the pan with the sauce.

9: Add in the before made dish with the chicken and toss it all together. Sprinkle some parsley on it and serve.

YUM!!